Packaging and display assembly



Sept. 16, 1969 DJ. FREIMAN PACKAGING AND DISPLAY ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 26. 1967 NM M INVENTOR. David J. Freiman ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,467,252 PACKAGING AND DISPLAY ASSEMBLY David J. Freiman, Corning, N.Y., assignor' to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,290 Int. Cl. B65d 85/62 US. Cl. 206-65 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A complete packaging and display system for dishes and the like, wherein a continuous energy absorbing plastic retaining rim. member bounds peripheral edge portions of a plurality of nested dishes or the like, and a graphic band of folding board orpaper is adhesively secured to and encircles an unfinished outer surface portion of the plastic rim.

Background of the invention In the past it has been customary to package frangible ware, such as dishes or the like, in an enclosing outer carton of corrugated or box board, with the articles retained in a cushioned position within the enclosing carton by means of excelsior, multiple cut corrugated inserts, molded foam plastic cushioning members, or a combination of such items. As a result, not only was the initial packaging of the ware a tedious and cumbersome operation, but also it was virtually impossible for a consumer to effectively repackage the item once it had been withdrawn from the carton for examination. Further, the enclosing outer carton and its accompanying cushioning members did not readily lend themselves to an attractive counter display for sales appeal.

US. Patent No. 3,033,358 to Mantell et al. and US. Patent No. 3,113,667 to Knapp et al. are representative of the complex prior art packaging methods previously utilized to cushionably package frangible items. As shown, it was customary to utilize an enclosing outer container, such as a corrugated box, and then cushionably retain the item within the box by means of specially cut corrugated pieces and molded foam inserts. The present invention, on the other hand, not only eliminates the need for an outer enclosing container but also eliminates the need for a plurality of specially cut corrugated board inserts or molded foam inserts.

Summary of the invention The present invention sets forth a new concept in packaging by providing an extremely simple and economic unitized packaging and display system. Basically the system includes a plastic band of about .030" thick flexible impact resistant plastic material, such as polyethylene, which is heat-sealed together to form a continuous energy absorbing retaining rim about the periphery of a plurality of nested dinnerware articles. The retaining rim, which may be vacuum formed, has a substantially continuous cylindrical central outer wall portion having upper and lower wall portions provided with arcuately spaced-apart and radially-inwardly extending projections or retaining bosses. The inner surface of the central wall portion substantially continuously engages the outer peripheral por-v tion of the nested ware, and the inwardly projecting retaining bosses retain the ware in a unitized nested position intermediate the vertical extent of the energy absorbing rim. A graphic band of folding box board or paper is adhesively secured to the outer surface of the retaining rim, to not only cover the unattractive indented outer surface of the rim with a graphic band for aesthetically displaying the ware in the unitized package to instill sales at the point of purchase, but also the encircling band "ice provides added bounding strength and impact resistance to the rim assembly.

It thus has been an object of the present invention to provide a unitized packaging and display assembly which does not require an individual enclosing outer container.

A further object of the invention has been to provide a novel rim packaging and display system for tableware including an energy absorbing continuous plastic retaining rim surrounding the periphery of a plurality of nested ware articles with a graphic band adhesively secured to the outer surface of such energy absorbing plastic rim.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a packaging and display assembly embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken along line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a complete packaging and display system with the thickness of both the rim and band portions being greatly enlarged for purposes of illustration.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings, a packaging and display assembly 10 is shown retaining a plurality of nested ware articles W. The assembly 10 includes an energy absorbing retaining rim member 11 of flexible and impact resistant plastic material, and an outer graphic band 12 gdhesively bonded to an outer surface of the rim mem- The energy absorbing retaining rim member 11 has a substantially continuous cylindrical central outer wall portion 13, and upper and lower wall portions 14, 15 provided with arcuately spaced-apart radially-inwardly extending projections or retaining bosses 16, 17, respectively. As shown, the inner surface of the cylindrical central wall portion 13 substantially continuously circumferentially engages the outer periphery of the ware articles W, whereas the inwardly extending retaining bosses 16, 17 retain the ware articles W in a unitized positionment between the upper and lower extent of the rim member 11.

The rim member 11 may be formed from a strip of any suitable flexible energy-absorbing plastic material such as polyethylene, with end portions thereof heatsealed together to form a continuous rim. Although the upper and lower projections 16, 17 are shown in vertical alignment, they may be arcuately set if desired. Further, if additional rim protection is desired the periphery of the ware articles may be retained inwardly of the central outer wall portion 13 by recessing the inner wall surface thereof radially inwardly. Also, paper spacers such as tissue paper may be positioned at 18 between the various ware articles W.

The graphic band 12 overlies the outer wall of the rim member 11 which, as shown in FIG. 2 has a plurality of pockets or recesses 16', 17' formed by the projections 16, 17, respectively. The graphic band 12 may be secured to the outer wall of the rim 11 by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive 19 which also secures the overlying end portions of the band together. An end tab 20 is shown removably secured to the band 12 by means of a perforated joint 21. Accordingly, price information may be applied to the outer band 12 by means of the end tab 20, and yet be conveniently removed therefrom by means of the perforated joint 21. Further, if desired, a disk or semicircular disk of advertising media may be conveniently inserted between the top ware article W and the upper projections 16.

It thus can be seen that the present invention not only sets forth an integral package which not only adequately protects the retained ware as a unitized assembly, but also 3 aesthetically visually displays such ware while so retained. Although I have disclosed the now preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination with a plurality of nested dinnerware articles a packaging and display assembly comprising, an energy absorbing retaining rim member of plastic material circumferentially surrounding the outer periphery of said plurality of nested dinnerware articles, a graphic band secured to and surrounding an outer surface portion of said rim member, said rim member having a substantially continuous central wall portion, said central wall portion having a smooth inner surface in substantially continuous circumferential engagementwith the periphery of said nested dinnerware articles, a plurality of arcuately spaced-apart-upper and loWerinwardly-extending projection means for retaining said nested ware articles in a unitized position intermediate the upper and lower extent '4 l v, Y r of said rim member, and both said upper and lower projection means being formed integrally with the inner surface of said plastic rim member along the extent of their contact with said surface.

2. A package and display assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said r'im member has overlapping end portions secured together to form a continuous energy-absorbing retaining rim about the periphery of the plurality of nested dinnerware articles. v

References Cited v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,812,856 11/1957 Lantinberg.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,454,008 8/1966 France.

JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 206-46 

